Published: October 08, 2009 03:36 pm      

Diversity on display | Allied Artists' works in juried show

BY RUTH RICE

RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM

From paintings to broken glass, the diverse talents of an artists’ organization have been harvested for a fall showing.

The 77th annual juried exhibition of Allied Artists of Johnstown will be on display through Dec. 6 at Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Johnstown, Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, Richland Township.

“This annual show is our largest,” said Diane Safko, Allied Artists vice president and co-chairperson of the show. “We have 55 works from 25 Allied Artists members. Last year, we had 64 pieces. It depends on the judge and the artists who enter.”

Safko said this year’s show is more varied than merely a collection of acrylic paintings.

“We have broken glass, wood, etched glass, jewelry and ceramics,” said Safko, who is an administrative assistant for the museum. “I think the only thing we don’t have is pottery.”

The winner of this year’s Josephine Paul Memorial Award for Best of Show is “A Heavenly Celebration,” an acrylic painting by Joe Berezansky of Johnstown.

On a plaque explaining the meaning of his painting, Berezansky states, “It is Christmas Eve, and the face of God lights up as he smiles. All the stars pop and burst into colorful splendor.”

The painting depicts a village with a prominent church spire on a snowy Christmas Eve, with a kaleidoscope of stars in the sky.

“It’s his take on ‘Starry Night,’ ” Safko said. “It is spirit motivated.”

Co-chairperson Bob Hovanec, owner of Big City Signs in Ferndale, said Berezansky is a good artist as well as an “inspirational guy.”

Other award winners are “Neo-Cubist Nonsense” by Kathleen Kase Burk of Ebensburg; “Tulips” by Michael C. Begenyi of Northern Cambria; “Nature’s Design” by Safko; “Swedish Pastry Shop” by Mark Parrish of Westover; “Season’s Greetings” by Daniel C. Helsel of Davidsville; “Indian Summer” by Ned Wert of Brush Valley; “Patent Pending” by Jim Richey of Johnstown; “M4dOnn4” by Sam Howard of Johnstown; and “Image C.D.” by Sallie Zoerb of Somerset.

The juror for this year’s show was S. Scott Steberger of Lilly, an artist known for his textured landscape paintings of sites in and around Cambria and Blair counties.

A nationally known artist whose paintings have been displayed extensively throughout the region and are a part of numerous collections in the United States and Canada, Steberger teaches at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson and St. Francis University in Loretto.

“He chose all the pieces, and that doesn’t always happen,” Safko said. “He thought they were all worthy.”

In his juror’s statement, Steberger said he was impressed with the diverse styles and mediums being produced by Allied Artists members.

“In selecting the pieces that were award recipients, I looked for several qualities,” Steberger wrote. “Craftsmanship, skill with a particular medium, overall composition and design, and the impact of a particular piece are some of the qualities that make one piece stand out over another.”

The exhibit also serves as a reunion of sorts for Hovanec.

“This is my favorite show,” he said. “I get to see people I don’t see all year.”

New members have added to the show’s versatility.

John Pavik of Somerset crafted two wooden sculptures, “Thankfulness” and “Their Home & Mine,” while Lisa Mull of Davidsville created three jewelry pieces, “Turquoise,” “I Dream in Pearls” and “Black Pearl Twist.”

Tina Lehman, coordinator for the Johnstown museum, said this year’s show is one of the organization’s best.

“The level of work the artists put out, it’s hard to describe,” Lehman said. “I encourage the community to come out and see what they’re doing.”

The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and before performances at the arts center.

A lunch a l’art will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 22 at the museum.

There will be a luncheon, and exhibiting artists Dan Helsel and Helen Thorne will provide a tour of the exhibition and discuss their works.

The cost of lunch a l’art is $8, and reservations are required by Oct. 19.

Lunch a l’art programs are offered to encourage a greater understanding of various art forms and movements as well as a deeper appreciation for the exhibitions presented by the museum.

“We haven’t had a lunch here at Johnstown in a long time,” Lehman said. “We want to get back into it.”

Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, formerly the Hiram G. Andrews Crichton Center, is the recipient of this year’s “Friends of Art” award.

Through this program, Allied Artists provides donated funds to local institutions to purchase artwork from the annual exhibit.

CEO Troy Van Scoyoc chose four pieces for the center’s visual stimulation program.

“Yin & Yang,” a watercolor by Nadine Toth; “Freeport, Maine,” a pastel by Sandra Grech; “Zimmerman’s Farm,” a digital print by James Richey; and “Antique Kettle,” a digital print by Safko.

“We have high-profile tours, and the artwork is seen on these tours,” he said.



Exhibition

What: 77th annual Allied Artists of Johnstown Juried Exhibition.

Where: Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Johnstown, Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, Richland Township.

When: Through Dec. 6.

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and before performances at the arts center.

Information: 269-7234.